Reform the Criminal Justice System in Morocco Strengthen Pre-trial Rights, Guarantees and Procedures

Transcription

1 Reform the Criminal Justice System in Morocco Strengthen Pre-trial Rights, Guarantees and Procedures

2 Composed of 60 eminent judges and lawyers from all regions of the world, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) promotes and protects human rights through the Rule of Law, by using its unique legal expertise to develop and strengthen national and international justice systems. Established in 1952 and active on the five continents, the ICJ aims to ensure the progressive development and effective implementation of international human rights and international humanitarian law; secure the realization of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights; safeguard the separation of powers; and guarantee the independence of the judiciary and legal profession. Reform the Criminal Justice System in Morocco Strengthen pre-trial rights, guarantees, and procedures Copyright International Commission of Jurists Published in April 2017 The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) permits free reproduction of extracts from any of its publications provided that due acknowledgment is given and a copy of the publication carrying the extract is sent to their headquarters at the following address: International Commission of Jurists P.O. Box 91 Rue des Bains 33 Geneva Switzerland Supported by the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany

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4 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 2 Table of Contents 1. Grounds and Procedures for pre-trial Detention...7 i. Police custody (garde-à-vue)... 7 ii. Preventive Detention...13 a. Preventive detention ordered by the investigative judge...13 b. Detention ordered by the public prosecutor Rights to Challenge Lawfulness of Detention (Habeas Corpus) Right to assistance of counsel during garde à vue and pre-trial detention i. Right to a lawyer during a garde-à-vue...33 ii. Right to counsel during questioning by the investigative judges and prosecutors Pre-trial guarantees and the protection from human rights violations... 44

5 The Morocco Constitution, adopted in July 2011, guarantees the right to security of person, to physical and moral integrity, to the presumption of innocence and to a fair trial. It also recognises that torture is a crime, and prohibits any other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. 1 Article 23 further provides that no one may be arrested, detained, prosecuted or condemned outside of the cases and the procedures provided for by law; and that arbitrary or secret detention and enforced ECtHR disappearance are crimes of the utmost gravity. Despite these constitutional guarantees, human rights violations continue to occur in Morocco, including cases of arbitrary detention and torture and other ill-treatment. United Nations (UN) human rights mechanisms have repeatedly raised serious concerns about such violations, including in relation to the laws and policies that facilitate them. 2 Following its visit to Morocco in December 2013, for instance, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) reported on allegations of arbitrary detention, including cases of secret and incommunicado detention, as well as cases of detainees not being registered following arrest and held for weeks without being brought before a judge. 3 The UN Special Rapporteur on torture pointed out, following his visit to Morocco, the existence of a systematic pattern of acts of torture and ill-treatment during the detention and arrest process in cases said to involve terrorism or threats 1 Articles 21, 22 and See for example, Report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Mission to Morocco, 4 August 2014, UN Doc. A/HRC/27/48/Add.5 and CAT, Concluding observations on Morocco, UN Doc. CAT/C/MAR/CO/4, 21 December Ibid paras 23-33,

6 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 4 against national security. The Special Rapporteur noted that suspects are often not officially registered, that they are held for weeks without being brought before a judge and without judicial oversight, and that families are not notified until such time as the suspects are transferred to police custody in order to sign confessions. 4 Such practices violate Morocco s obligations under international law, including as a State party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT). Under article 9 of the ICCPR, one aspect of the right to liberty is a prohibition of arbitrary arrest or detention, including any deprivation of liberty that is not in accordance with grounds and procedures established by law. As underlined by the UN Human Rights Committee (HRC) the independent expert body established by the ICCPR to monitor its implementation by States parties domestic laws setting out the grounds and procedures for detention must themselves comply with the ICCPR and other international human rights standards. 5 National rules of criminal procedure are therefore fundamental to ensuring the right to liberty, to security of person, and to a fair trial, all of which are guaranteed under international law, in particular under articles 9 and 4 Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Mission to Morocco, A/HRC/22/53/Add.2 April 2103, para. 14 and 5. 5 Human Rights Committee, A v. Australia, UN Doc. CCPR/C/59/D/560/1993 (1997), para. 9.5.

7 5 REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MOROCCO 14 of the ICCPR. Furthermore, the right to liberty is closely linked to the enjoyment of other human rights, including the rights to be free from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. 6 Conversely, where national rules of criminal procedure are inconsistent with international human rights standards, individuals are at much greater risk of violations of their human rights. In this regard, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) believes that the process of legislative reforms initiated by the Moroccan government following the adoption of the 2011 Constitution offers a key opportunity to break with decades of human rights violations by finally establishing effective safeguards. While the ICJ welcomes recent initiatives by the government in this regard, including the introduction of a Draft Law amending the Code of Criminal Procedure (CPP) in 2015 (the 2015 Draft CCP), the ICJ is concerned such initiatives have so far fallen short of Morocco s obligations under international human rights law. The 2015 Draft CCP has failed, for example, to incorporate the right to challenge lawfulness of detention before a court of law (habeas corpus). It has also failed to improve the procedural safeguards in police custody and against the abusive use of pre-trial detention. The Draft Law was put on hold by the Moroccan authorities due to the legislative elections of October This memorandum analyses certain aspects of the CCP provisions on pre-trial rights, guarantees, grounds and 6 Ibid., para. 2.

8 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 6 procedures in light of international human rights law and standards. It formulates recommendations for amendments and reform that, together with sufficient political will, may help inform the process of either amending the 2015 Draft CCP or developing a new draft CCP; enhance the effectiveness and fairness of the criminal justice system, and contribute to ensuring that Morocco fully complies with its obligations under international law, including those relating to the right to liberty, to security of person, to a fair trial, and to be free from torture and other ill-treatment.

9 7 REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MOROCCO 1. Grounds and procedures for pre-trial detention i. Police custody (garde-à-vue) The CCP provides for police custody in all cases where a suspect has been apprehended flagrante delicto, and in all cases of felonies and misdemeanours punishable with a prison time. 7 Judicial Police officers 8 can place individuals in police custody (garde-à-vue) whenever it is deemed necessary for the investigation. 9 In cases of flagrante delicto, the Office of Public Prosecutor (OPP) must be informed immediately if a suspect has been placed under garde à vue. 10 In cases of felonies and misdemeanours punishable with a prison time, for the suspect to be held in garde à vue, the authorities must obtain authorization from the OPP. In ordinary cases, the maximum initial length of garde à vue under article 66 of the CPP is 48 hours. In such cases where the investigation so requires, garde à vue can be extended for a further 24 hours if authorized in writing by the OPP. In terrorism cases, the maximum initial length 7 Respectively articles 66 and 80 of the CCP. 8 In accordance with article 18 of CCP, in addition to the Prosecutor General, Public Prosecutor and their deputies, and to the investigative judge, the judicial police includes: the officers of the judicial police, the officers of the judicial police in charge of minors, the assistants of the judicial police, and the employees and assistants who are entrusted by law with some of the competencies of the judicial police. 9 Respectively articles 66 and 80 of the CCP. 10 Article 66 of the CCP.

10 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 8 of garde à vue is 96 hours, renewable twice upon authorization from the OPP. In cases of internal or external threats against national security, the maximum initial length of the garde à vue is 96 hours, renewable once following a written authorization from the OPP. Under the CPP, the OPP has also monitoring powers over places of garde à vue. In addition to carrying out visits to places where people are held, prosecutors are in charge of making sure that the procedures for arrest and detention, including the time limits on holding a person in police custody, are respected. International standards relating to police custody derive from the right to liberty enshrined in article 3 of the UDHR, article 9 of the ICCPR, article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR), article 14 of the Arab Charter on Human Rights (Arab Charter) 11, and other international and regional instruments. 12 These standards prohibit arbitrary arrest or detention. Further, they explicitly prohibit the deprivation of anyone of their liberty except on grounds and according to procedures established by law, which must be consistent with international law. 11 Morocco signed the Arab Charter on Human Rights on 27 December 2004, but has not ratified it yet. It is also not yet a Party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. 12 For example, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 3; Migrant Workers Convention, article 16(1); African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights ( African Commission ), Principles on Fair Trial in Africa, Section M(1); African Commission, Guidelines on the Conditions of Arrest, Police Custody and Pre-Trial Detention in Africa (the Luanda Guidelines).

11 9 REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MOROCCO Indeed, an arrest or detention on grounds and in accordance with procedures established by domestic law may nonetheless be arbitrary. As explained by the HRC, arbitrariness is not to be equated only with against the law, but must be interpreted more broadly to include elements of inappropriateness, injustice and lack of predictability and due process of law. 13 Arrest or detention that is permitted under domestic law may still be arbitrary under international standards, for instance, when the law includes vague and expansive concepts such as public security without precise definitions. 14 Based on the above, the ICJ is very concerned that Morocco s legal framework on garde à vue is inconsistent with international human rights law and standards in many respects, and that it has contributed, consequently, to the particular history of serious human rights abuses committed in the context of police custody in Morocco. First, the grounds for placing individuals under garde à vue, such as whenever it is deemed necessary for the investigation are broad. Because this phrase is not further elaborated upon through a definition or concrete examples of what might be deemed necessary for the investigation, it risks lacking the clarity and precision needed to give the concerned individuals notice of the conduct for which they may be placed under garde à vue. Ambiguity in describing the grounds for, and circumstances under which, a person may be placed 13 HRC General Comment No. 35, para HRC s concluding observations: Bosnia and Herzegovina (CCPR/C/BIH/CO/1, 2006), para. 18.

12 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 10 under police custody create doubts and opportunities for arbitrariness and abuse of power. Second, the length of the garde à vue is inconsistent with Morocco s obligations under article 9(3) of the ICCPR, which guarantees that any person who is arrested or detained in connection with a criminal charge is brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorized by law to exercise judicial power. 15 This right is intended to bring the detention of a person in a criminal investigation or prosecution under judicial control without delay. 16 In interpreting the promptness requirement, the HRC has stated that: While the exact meaning of promptly may vary depending on objective circumstances of the individual case, delays should not exceed a few days from the time of arrest. In the view of the Committee, 48 hours is ordinarily sufficient to transport the individual from the place of arrest to a court and to prepare for the judicial hearing; any delay longer than forty-eight hours must remain absolutely exceptional and be justified under the circumstances of the particular case. 17 Under the current framework, in ordinary cases of felonies and misdemeanours punishable with prison time, a person can be placed under garde à vue for up to Article 14(5) of the Arab Charter on Human Rights and Section M(1) of the Principles on Fair Trial and Africa set out identical guarantees. See also Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Basic Principles and Guidelines on remedies and procedures on the right of anyone deprived of their liberty to bring proceedings before a court, Principle HRC General Comment No. 35, para HRC General Comment No. 35, para. 33.

13 REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MOROCCO 11 hours without being brought before a judge; for up to 192 hours in cases of internal or external threats against national security ; and for up to 288 hours in cases of terrorism. Because of the relatively long periods of time they provide for and the fact they do not take into account the objective circumstances of individual cases, these garde à vue provisions appear to run counter to Morocco s obligations under international law, including those relating to the right to liberty and to be brought promptly before a judge. 18 Third, the fact that the authorization of a prosecutor is required to extend detention beyond 48 hours does not satisfy the requirement of article 9(3) of the ICCPR. The HRC has clarified that to constitute a judge or other officer authorized by law to exercise judicial power within the meaning of article 9(3), the authority has to be independent, objective and impartial in relation to the issues dealt with. 19 Given the other roles played by prosecutors in criminal cases, the HRC has ruled out the possibility that a prosecutor could meet the requirements of article 9(3). 20 For the same reasons, oversight over, and monitoring of garde à vue facilities, periods and conditions should not be carried out by prosecutors alone; a system of visits by 18 See Human Rights Committee General Comment 35, para 38. See also, African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, Guidelines on the Conditions of Arrest, Police Custody and Pre-Trial, adopted in 2014, Principle 7.b.ii. 19 HRC General Comment No. 35, para HRC General Comment No. 35, para. 32. See also, European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), Moulin v. France, Application No /06, Judgment of 23 November 2010, paras. 55 and 56.

14 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 12 judges or other independent and impartial expert inspectors that meet the requirements of independence, objectivity and impartiality should be in place, to protect the right to liberty and humane conditions and to prevent torture or other ill-treatment. Additionally, even leaving aside the concern that a prosecutor cannot constitute a judicial authority within the meaning of article 9(3) ICCPR, because it does not expressly require that the arrested or detained individual be physically brought before the authority, the procedure on whether to renew police custody or release the detainee further falls short of international standards. The physical presence of the detained or arrested person before a judge gives the opportunity for inquiry into the treatment that he or she received in custody. 21 It thus serves as a safeguard for the right to security of person and the prohibition against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. In light of the above, the ICJ calls on the Moroccan authorities, including the Government, the Chamber of Deputies, and the Chamber of Counselors to amend the CCP with a view to reforming the garde à vue framework and ensuring its full compliance with international standards, including those relating to the right to liberty and security of person. To this end, the authorities should ensure that: 21 See Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, approved by the General Assembly in its resolution 43/173, principle 37.

15 REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MOROCCO 13 i) The grounds for placing individuals under garde à vue are more clearly and precisely defined in the law, and include elements of appropriateness, predictability and due process of law, and do not rely on vague and expansive phrases such as requirements of the investigation, without further definition; ii) Reduce the maximum amount of time during which a person can be held in garde à vue without being brought physically before a judge to the absolute minimum, in ordinary cases no longer than 48 hours, and that any possibility to hold a person longer than 48 hours must be based on absolutely exceptional grounds, and justified by the circumstances of the particular case (and not merely the character of the allegations against the person); iii) Remove the powers of prosecutors to extend garde à vue, and ensure that any decision on whether to renew police custody or release the detainee is taken by a judge or another judicial officer that meets the requirements of independence, impartiality and objectivity; iv) Ensure effective and independent judicial and/or other independent expert oversight over garde à vue facilities, periods and conditions. ii. Preventive detention a. Preventive detention ordered by the investigative judge The CCP specifies that preventive detention is an exceptional measure that can be ordered by

16 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 14 investigative judges in cases of felonies or misdemeanours punishable by a prison sentence. 22 Detention orders can only be issued after the interrogation of the person. 23 The CCP allows for investigative judges to order that an individual be held in detention for up to one month in cases of misdemeanours, renewable up to two times in case of necessity; and two months in cases of felonies, renewable up to five times. 24 The renewal decisions are to be judicial orders based on reasoned OPP s submissions. The person must be released at the expiry of the maximum period; even if the investigative judge has not taken a decision to end the investigations, in both misdemeanours and felonies, the accused is to be automatically released while the investigation continues. Articles 179 and 180 of the CPP provide for the detained person or his/her lawyer to submit a request for provisional release at any time. The investigative judge is to issue a reasoned decision with regards to the release request within a period of five days from receiving the request. In case the investigative judge does not respond to such request, the accused may submit the provisional release request to the misdemeanour chamber at the Appeal s Court, which must take a decision on the matter within 15 days. Under the current CCP, at any time during the period of preventive detention, the investigative judge may order the individual to be released. The investigative judge 22 Article 159 of the CCP. 23 Article 152 of the CCP. 24 Respectively articles 179 and 180 of the CCP.

17 REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MOROCCO 15 may proprio motu order the release under the condition that the accused appears before all the proceedings when necessary, and that he or she informs the investigative judge of all his or her movements and residence in a specific location. 25 b. Detention ordered by the public prosecutor A public prosecutor can, following questioning, order the detention of a person caught in flagrante delicto committing a felony. The concerned person has the right to be assisted by a lawyer, either appointed or assigned, during the questioning. The lawyer can request that his/her client be subjected to a medical examination, and can submit all documents and evidence in defence of his or her client. If the prosecutor determines that the case is ready for trial, he or she orders the detention of the accused and refers him or her to the Criminal Chamber of the Court of Appeal within 15 days. 26 A public prosecutor can also order the detention of a person caught in flagrante delicto committing a misdemeanour punishable by a prison sentence if other measures would not be sufficient to ensure that he or she would attend voluntarily. 27 The concerned person has the right to be assisted by a lawyer, in the same conditions provided for in cases of flagrante delicto for felonies. Following the order of detention by the prosecutor, the 25 Article 178 of the CCP. 26 Article 73 of the CCP. 27 Article 74 of the CCP.

18 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 16 case is referred to the Tribunal of First Instance for the first relevant session. 28 A public prosecutor may also in other cases order the detention of a suspect who confessed to acts constituting a crime punishable by a prison sentence, or in case of strong evidence of committing the crime, or if there is a fear of threat to public safety and order. 29 Recourse to preventive detention in criminal proceedings in Morocco is routine. On 30 March 2016, the Minister of Justice, who is also the head of the OPP, sent a memo to prosecutors before the Tribunals of First Instance and Courts of Appeal, 30 reiterating that preventive detention is an exceptional measure and urging them to take numerous considerations into account when issuing detention orders, including fear of obstructing the investigation; stopping the crime or preventing its recurrence; preserving evidence and preventing interference with the crime scene; carrying out investigations and inquiries that require the presence and participation of the suspect; preventing the suspect from absconding; preventing the exercise of any pressure on the witnesses or victims or their families or relatives; and preventing collusion or complicity between the suspect and the individuals that have contributed or participated in the crime. The 2015 Draft CPP provided for these criteria, among others. 28 Article 47 of the CPP. 29 Article 47 of the CPP. 30 Memo on Provisional Detention from the Minister of Justice to prosecutors, 30 March 2016, available at:

19 REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MOROCCO 17 The Minister s memo also confirmed that pre-trial detainees represent more than 40% of the prison population (approximately 70,000), and that almost 4,000 pre-trial detainees are declared innocent each year. 31 Indeed, the excessive use of pre-trial detention, whether ordered by investigative judges or prosecutors, is welldocumented in the country. Among others, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the National Institution for Human Rights have both documented cases of prisons where the number of pre-trial detainees largely exceeded the number of convicted detainees. 32 Most of the time, convicted and pre-trial detainees are not kept separate. This situation has lead to prison overcrowding, which, in turn, has led to serious human rights abuses, including inhumane conditions of detention, and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, as well as denial of or inadequate access to medical care, nutrition and sanitation. Such practices run counter to Morocco s obligations under international law. The ICCPR requires that [i]t shall not be the general rule that persons awaiting trial shall be 31 Memo on Provisional Detention from the Minister of Justice to prosecutors, 30 March 2016, available at: 32 See for example, Report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Mission to Morocco, 4 August 2014, UN Doc. A/HRC/27/48/Add.5, and Prisons crisis: shared responsibility to protect prisoners rights, Report of the National Council of Human rights, October 2012, p.42. Available at:

20 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 18 detained in custody. 33 The Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Fair Trial and Legal Assistance in Africa (Principles on Fair Trial in Africa) adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, affirm that detention pending trial shall be used only as a measure of last resort, 34 and can only be ordered when there is sufficient evidence that deems it necessary to prevent a person arrested on a criminal charge from fleeing, interfering with witnesses or posing a clear and serious risk to others. 35 (See also the similar pronouncement by the Human Rights Committee, in relation to the ICCPR, described below). The ICJ believes that the recourse to preventive detention has been abused in practice due to, among other reasons, the inadequacy of the CPP framework on pre-trial detention. In particular, while the CCP provides for preventive detention to be an exceptional measure, it fails to provide for clear and precise grounds and criteria for such a measure to be ordered by investigative judges and prosecutors. The introduction of some grounds for preventive detention in the 2015 Draft CPP, many of which were detailed in the above-mentioned Minister of Justice s memo, is a positive development. However, it is essential for the CPP provisions allowing recourse to pre-trial detention to be amended with a view to ensuring full compliance with international law and 33 See for example, ICCPR, article 9(3). 34 African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Fair Trial and Legal Assistance in Africa adopted in 2003, Principle M(1)(e). 35 African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Fair Trial and Legal Assistance in Africa adopted in 2003, Section M(1)(e).

21 REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MOROCCO 19 standards, including by being sufficiently restrictive in setting out an exhaustive list of grounds for such detention, limited to those recognized by international law and standards; by ensuring that each case is to be considered separately and individually on the basis of evidence about the individual and the particular case; and allowing for its imposition only where there is clear evidence to indicate that such detention is necessary, proportionate and otherwise reasonable in the circumstances of the individual case. In this regard, the ICJ is concerned that the CPP seems to provide for mandatory pre-trial detention in cases of felonies and misdemeanours punishable by a prison sentence, without giving any consideration to the circumstances of the individual case at hand. The Human Rights Committee has clarified that, to accord with the ICCPR, detention pending trial can be ordered only pursuant to an individualized determination that it is reasonable and necessary in all the circumstances, for such purposes as to prevent flight, interference with evidence or the recurrence of crime, 36 or influencing victims. 37 The Human Rights Committee has further pointed out that: pre-trial detention should not be mandatory for all defendants charged with a particular crime, without regard to individual circumstances. Neither should pre-trial detention be ordered for a period based on the potential sentence for the crime charged, rather than on a determination of necessity. Courts must examine whether alternatives to pre-trial detention, such 36 HRC General Comment No. 35, para Michael and Brian Hill v. Spain, Human Rights Committee Communication No. 526/1993, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/59/D/526/1993 (1997), para 12.3.

22 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 20 as bail, electronic bracelets or other conditions, would render detention unnecessary in the particular case. 38 Furthermore, under international standards, the burden of proof is on the State to show that detention is lawful, necessary and proportionate in the circumstances of the particular case, and that release would create a risk that cannot be addressed by other means. 39 For example, when assessing the risk of absconding, the fact that a person does not have a fixed residence 40 or the fact that he or she is a foreigner and thus more likely to flee the country 41 have not been considered sufficient reason to warrant pre-trial detention by the European Court of Human Rights and the HRC respectively. Further, the European Court of Human Rights found that the more complete the investigation is the less likely the accused might have the capacity to interfere with the proper administration of justice Human Rights Committee, General Comment 35 on Article 9 of the ICCPR (Liberty and Security of the Person), UN Doc. CCPR/C/GC/35 (2014), para Ibid., Rules 7-8, ECtHR, Ilijkov v Bulgaria (33977/96), judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (2001) paras 84-85; Patsuria v Georgia, (30779/04) judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (2007), paras 73-77; Special Rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism, Australia, UN Doc. A/HRC/4/26/Add.3 (2006) para 34; See WGAD: South Africa, UN Doc. E/CN.4/2006/7/Add.3 (2005) para ECtHR, Sulaoja v. Estonia, Application No /00 Judgment of 15 February 2005, para Human Rights Committee, Michael and Brian Hill v. Spain, Communication No. 526/1993, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/59/D/526/1993 (1997), para In the context of putting pressure on the witnesses and co accused: ECtHR, Kemmache v. France, Application no.12325/86 and 14992/89, Judgment of 27 November, para. 53 and 54.

23 REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MOROCCO 21 In addition, the ICJ is deeply concerned by the sweeping powers of prosecutors to order detentions pending trial. Under the 1974 Statute for Judges, prosecutors are deemed to be judges. However, article 56 of the 1974 Statute for Judges provides that prosecutors are under the authority of the Minister of Justice and under the control and direction of their superiors. Because of their institutional subordination to the Minister of Justice, prosecutors do not meet the requirements of independence and impartiality required by article 9(3) of the ICCPR, as has been emphasized by the Human Rights Committee, which concluded that: it is inherent to the proper exercise of judicial power that it be exercised by an authority which is independent, objective and impartial in relation to the issues dealt with. Accordingly, a public prosecutor cannot be considered as an officer exercising judicial power under paragraph While the new Statute for Judges, adopted in 2016 but yet to fully enter into force, ends the Minister of Justice authority over prosecutors, mainly by providing for the General Prosecutor at the Cassation Court to be the head of the OPP, the ICJ is still concerned that the framework governing the prosecutors detention powers falls short of international standards. The Court also set out this principle in general: ECtHR, Mitcha v. Poland, Application No /02, Judgment of 4 May 2006, para Human Rights Committee, 1547/2007, Torobekov v. Kyrgyzstan, para. 6.2; 1278/2004, Reshetnikov v. Russian Federation, para. 8.2; concluding observations: Tajikistan (CCPR/CO/84/TJK, 2005), para. 12.

24 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 22 Impartiality standards require that the authority ordering the detention be separate from the one carrying out the prosecution. Consequently, judges and prosecutors should have distinctly separate roles and be independent, not only from the executive and legislative branches, but from each other as well. One of the reasons why the OPP should be strictly separated from judicial functions is to ensure that the criminal justice system is fair for all and that the right to a fair trial is guaranteed in all circumstances. However, under the 2016 Statute for Judges, prosecutors and judges are part of the same judicial corps and exercise both prosecutorial and judicial functions. This seems to run counter to Morocco s obligations under international law, including those relating to fair trial rights. A key element for a trial to be fair is the equality of arms between the prosecution and the defence, in particular their ability to prepare and present cases under conditions of equality throughout the proceedings. Such equality is undermined when prosecutors and judges are part of the same corps. In light of the above, the ICJ calls on the Moroccan authorities, including the Government, the Chamber of Deputies, and the Chamber of Counselors, to comprehensively reform the pretrial detention framework, including by ensuring that resort to it is exceptional, and that such detention may be ordered only when it is determined on the basis of evidence that it is necessary, proportionate and reasonable in the circumstances of the individual case. To this end, the authorities must amend the CPP with a view to: i) Providing for exhaustive, clear and precise grounds and criteria for pre-trial detention, in

25 REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MOROCCO 23 ii) iii) iv) accordance with international standards on appropriateness, predictability and due process of law, and to excluding vague and expansive standards such as the threat to public safety or the public order ; In particular, ensuring that pre-trial detention can only be ordered when there is sufficient evidence that deems it necessary to prevent the arrested person from fleeing, interfering with evidence or witnesses, or posing a clear and serious risk to others, and that its impacts are not disproportionate to these aims; Ensuring that pre-trial detention is not mandatory for all individuals charged with a particular category of felony or misdemeanour, or based on the potential sentences for the offences alleged, but rather on the factual circumstances of each individual case; Ensuring, in making a determination about such circumstances, that: a. Pre-trial detention is based on one or more of the grounds recognized by international law, as well as on objective criteria and on clear evidence; b. Each case is individually assessed as to whether the request for detention is reasonable, proportionate and necessary; c. That where an individual alleges that such detention would violate Morocco s obligations under international law, that the judicial authority is able to properly assess the claims; d. The case at hand cannot be addressed adequately by alternatives to pre-trial detention, such as bail, electronic bracelets or

26 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 24 other measures that would render detention unnecessary; v) Ensuring that all persons subjected to pre-trial detention are held separately from people who have been convicted and sentenced; under conditions that protect their right to be presumed innocent, and are treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person, including by providing them with adequate medical care and treatment, hygiene, food, and bedding; vi) Repealing the prosecutors powers to order detention pending trial, and ensuring that such decisions are made by judges or other authorized officers that meet the requirements of judicial independence, impartiality, and objectivity; vii) Ensuring that the authority that orders pre-trial detention is separated from the authority that carries out the prosecution, and with a view to ensuring fair trial rights, including the right to equality of arms, make sure that the OPP is strictly separated from the functions of judging cases, and that judges and prosecutors are not part of the same judicial corps; viii) Ensuring the right of victims of unlawful arrest or detention to legally-enforceable reparation, including through accessible and simplified procedures.

27 REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MOROCCO Right to challenge the lawfulness of detention (habeas corpus) The CCP does not explicitly recognize, or provide for any procedures to guarantee, the right of persons placed under garde à vue to challenge the lawfulness of their deprivation of liberty (whether the initial decision to detain in garde à vue or any renewal of the garde à vue) before a court. A person could be deprived of liberty in garde à vue for up to twelve days (depending on the category of the allegations against the person, as described earlier). With regards to the decision to place an individual under preventive detention, the CCP provides for a procedure to request release pending trial (the release request), to be introduced at any time by the accused, his or her lawyer or the representative of the prosecution. 44 The investigative judge examines and decides upon the release request. 45 If he/she does not rule on the case within 5 days, the accused can request the misdemeanours chamber in the Court of Appeal to rule on the matter. If a decision is not taken within 15 days, the detainee shall be released. 46 When a case is referred to trial, the court before which the trial is being held reviews any release request. 47 The court decides on the merits of the request after listening 44 Articles 179 and 180 of the CCP. 45 Article 179 of the CCP. 46 Article 179 of the CCP. 47 Article 180 of the CCP.

28 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 26 to the public prosecution, the parties or their lawyers if they attend. 48 In this regard, the decisions of the Felonies and Misdemeanours Chambers of the Appeal Courts are final and cannot be subjected to any review. Under its international legal obligations, Morocco must establish or ensure the effective availability of a simple, accessible and expeditious procedure for the exercise by any person who is deprived of his/her liberty (or his or her lawyer or other persons acting on his or her behalf) of the right to take proceedings before a court, in order for the court to decide on the lawfulness of the individual s detention and order his or her release if the detention is not lawful. This right is enshrined in international human rights standards, including among others article 9(4) of the ICCPR, article 14(6) of the Arab Charter and Section M(4) of the Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Fair Trial and Legal Assistance in Africa. Because it is a fundamental guarantee against serious human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment, and enforced disappearance, this right must be respected in all circumstances: no derogation is accepted, including in a situation of national emergency or in cases in which an individual is suspected or charged with terrorism-related crimes Article 180 of the CCP. 49 See Human Rights Committee, General Comment No. 29, para. 19; Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Basic Principles and Guidelines on remedies and procedures on the right of anyone deprived of their liberty to bring proceedings before a court, WGAD/CRP.1/2015, 29 April 2015, Principle 4; Principles on the Right to a Fair Trial and Legal Assistance in Africa, Section M(5)(e).

29 REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MOROCCO 27 This right applies in any situation where a person is deprived of liberty 50, including police custody. Its object is the release, conditional or unconditional, of the detained individual, and thus requires the reviewing court to be independent, impartial, to have the power to exercise judicial functions, 51 and to order that the individual be brought before the court, whether or not he or she has requested to appear in person before the court. 52 The court must decide whether the detention is lawful without delay and if unlawful must release the individual. 53 The court must both have the legal authority to order release, and must in practice actually order release if it finds the deprivation of liberty to be unlawful or otherwise arbitrary. The ICJ is deeply concerned that the CCP does not provide individuals under garde à vue with any right or procedure to challenge the lawfulness of their detention. 50 Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Basic Principles and Guidelines on remedies and procedures on the right of anyone deprived of their liberty to bring proceedings before a court, Principle Human Rights Committee, General Comment No. 35 on article 9 of the ICCPR (Liberty and Security of person), UN Doc. CCPR/C/GC/35 (2014) para. 45. See also, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Basic Principles and Guidelines on remedies and procedures on the right of anyone deprived of their liberty to bring proceedings before a court, Principle Human Rights Committee, General Comment No. 35 on article 9 of the ICCPR (Liberty and Security of person), UN Doc. CCPR/C/GC/35 (2014), paras Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Basic Principles and Guidelines on remedies and procedures on the right of anyone deprived of their liberty to bring proceedings before a court, Principles 8 and 15.

30 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 28 This is particularly problematic given the length of garde à vue under the Moroccan law and the fact that, in terrorism-related cases, for example, individuals can be placed under police custody for up to 12 days before being brought before a judge. In addition, the ICJ is also concerned that the pre-trial detention orders by prosecutors are not subjected to any immediate judicial review, and that detainees can only challenge their detention before the relevant court when the case is referred to trial. For example, a referral takes place within 15 days from the time the prosecutor determines that a case is ready for trial before the Felonies Chambers at the Appeal Courts. The ICJ is also concerned that under the current framework, preventive detention orders by investigative judges can only be challenged before the same judges who ordered them. International standards on this issue are clear: the challenge to detention has to be examined by an independent and impartial court that is different from the one that ordered the detention. 54 The procedure to challenge the lawfulness of the detention must itself be fair, adversarial and apply the principle of equality of arms. An investigative judge who made the decision to detain would lack the necessary impartiality to review the legality of his or her own previous decision. Another source of concern is the fact that the decisions of the Felonies Chambers at the Appeal Courts on release 54 Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Basic Principles and Guidelines on remedies and procedures on the right of anyone deprived of their liberty to bring proceedings before a court, Guideline 4, para. 69.

31 REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MOROCCO 29 requests are final and cannot be subjected to any review. Under international standards, pre-trial detainees have a right to have an independent and impartial court or other judicial authority review the lawfulness of their detention at reasonable intervals. The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has underscored that deprivation of liberty, even if initially lawful, can become arbitrary if it is not subject to periodic review. 55 International standards put the onus on the authorities to prove that detention is still necessary and proportionate and that they are conducting the investigation with diligence. 56 With a view to complying with these standards, the Moroccan authorities should ensure that the decisions of the Felonies Chambers at the Appeal Courts on release requests, as well as all the decisions relating to the lawfulness of detention, are subjected to independent, impartial, objective and periodic judicial review. Furthermore, because of the inadequacy of the grounds of pre-trial detention under the CPP, as detailed above, the ICJ is concerned that the procedure on the release request falls short of international standards. The scope of this procedure is limited insofar it aims to determine whether the reasons for placing the person under pretrial detention are still valid, and not on whether the detention itself is lawful. To meet international standards on habeas corpus, the review of the lawfulness of the 55 Ali Saleh Kahlah Al-Marri v USA (Opinion 43/2006), WGAD, UN Doc. A/HRC/7/4/Add.1 (2008) pp , paras ; See A v Australia, HRC, UN Doc. CCPR/C/59/D/560/1993 (1997), para European Court: Prencipe v Monaco (43376/06), (2009) paras , Labita v Italy (26772/95), (2000) paras ; Jorge, José and Dante Peirano Basso v Uruguay (12.553, Report 86/09), Inter-American Commission (2009) paras

32 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 30 detention must include an assessment of whether the arrest and detention were carried out according to the procedures established by national law; whether the grounds for detention were authorized by national law, and whether the detention is not arbitrary or unlawful under international law and standards. As the Human Rights Committee has affirmed, a court reviewing the lawfulness of detention, to meet the requirements of article 9(4) of the ICCPR, must consider not only whether the deprivation of liberty complies with the grounds and procedures established under national law, but must also consider whether the detention is consistent with the right to liberty or other rights guaranteed under the ICCPR, and this in turn includes elements of inappropriateness, injustice, lack of predictability and due process of law, as well as elements of reasonableness, necessity and proportionality. 57 In light of the above, the ICJ calls on the Moroccan authorities, including the Government, the Chamber of Deputies, and the Chamber of Counselors, to amend the CCP with a view to fully guaranteeing the right to habeas corpus consistent with international standards, including by: i) Providing for a procedure through which all individuals deprived of their liberty can, from the 57 Human Rights Committee General Comment 35 on article 9 of the ICCPR (Liberty and Security of person), UN Doc. CCPR/C/GC/35 (2014) paras 44 and 12. See also Principle 14, para 42 of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Basic Principles and Guidelines on remedies and procedures on the right of anyone deprived of their liberty to bring proceedings before the court (June 2015).

33 REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN MOROCCO 31 time of arrest and from the outset of the deprivation of their liberty, bring proceedings before an independent and impartial court able to determine, without delay, the lawfulness of their detention and order release if the detention is unlawful or arbitrary; and to this end: a. Ensure that individuals placed under garde à vue, as well as persons acting on their behalf, can challenge the lawfulness of their detention and of any renewals or extensions thereto before an independent and impartial court and through an expeditious proceeding; b. Revoke the powers of prosecutors to place individuals under pre-trial detention, restricting this power to independent and impartial judicial officers or courts; c. Ensure that pre-trial detainees are able to challenge the lawfulness of their detention before an independent and impartial court and through an expeditious proceeding; d. Ensure that the procedure to challenge the lawfulness of detention is simple, accessible, expeditious, fair, adversarial and respects the principle of equality of arms; e. Ensure that the judges authorized to review the lawfulness of the detention are independent, objective and impartial in relation to the issues dealt with, and, to this end, revoke the powers of investigative judges to review the orders of the detention issued by them; f. Ensure that the judicial authorities authorized to review the lawfulness of the detention have the power to order individuals to be brought before the court irrespective of whether the individual has so requested, as well as the

34 STRENGTHEN PRE-TRIAL RIGHTS, GUARANTEES, AND PROCEDURES 32 power to order the individual released immediately if the detention is unlawful or otherwise arbitrary under national or international law; g. Ensure that the decisions the Felonies and Misdemeanours Chambers at the Appeal Courts on pre-trial detention orders, as well as all the decisions relating to the lawfulness of detention, are subjected to independent, impartial, objective and periodic judicial review. ii) Ensuring that the basis upon which a court decides on the lawfulness of any detention includes both the compliance of the detention with applicable procedures as required by national and international law, as well as an assessment of the factual basis for the detention and whether the factual and legal grounds asserted by the authorities to justify the detention are consistent with both national law and international law, including in relation to elements of inappropriateness, injustice, lack of predictability and due process of law, reasonableness, necessity and proportionality; iii) Ensure that the person placed in garde à vue or pre-trial detention be granted the right to be present and to be heard at all stages of such proceedings, as well as the right to prompt and confidential access to an independent lawyer of the person s choosing (as elaborated below).